US Department of Transportation: "Increased Passenger Plane Turbulence Accidents Due to Climate Change"

Amid a series of passenger plane accidents caused by turbulence, claims have been raised that the increase in turbulence occurrences is due to climate change.

On the 26th (local time), Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, appeared on CBS's "Face the Nation" and warned, "Climate change has begun to affect our transportation systems," adding, "Turbulence will continue to impact not only the United States but also international travelers."

Reuters Yonhap News

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As pointed out by U.S. transportation authorities, recent turbulence-related passenger plane accidents have been occurring worldwide, resulting in casualties. On the 21st, a flight from London to Singapore made an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand due to turbulence, causing one death and injuring over 80 people. The day before, a passenger plane en route from Doha, Qatar to Dublin, Ireland was caught in turbulence, injuring 12 passengers.

According to CNN, approximately 65,000 flights in the U.S. experience turbulence annually, with about 5,500 encountering severe turbulence. Last year, a research team led by Professor Paul Williams from the Department of Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading in the UK reported that the incidence of severe clear-air turbulence (CAT) increased by 55% between 1979 and 2020, and that the climate crisis could raise the frequency of such turbulence. Clear-air turbulence occurs at altitudes of about 7 to 15 km in cloudless, clear areas and is characterized by the absence of warning signs such as storms or clouds, making it difficult to predict.

Secretary Buttigieg stated, "We are witnessing the effects of climate change in every form, from statistically impossible heatwaves melting transportation system cables in the Pacific Northwest to increasingly extreme hurricane seasons," emphasizing, "As the climate evolves, our policies, technologies, and infrastructure must also advance accordingly."

Buttigieg also addressed the quality and safety issues of major U.S. airlines' aircraft. Referring to a survey showing a 500% increase in quality and safety reports filed by Boeing employees during the first two months of this year compared to the same period last year, he said, "While this is concerning, it is encouraging that a culture is developing where employees are encouraged to speak up if they see something," and added, "A healthy company should have an appropriate internal whistleblowing mechanism."

Meanwhile, Boeing was once again embroiled in controversy over aircraft defects when a Boeing 767 passenger plane departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York on the 26th of last month experienced an incident where the emergency evacuation slide detached immediately after takeoff. Boeing executives are scheduled to announce a quality management improvement plan to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the 30th.

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